In the fourth round the Jackets took Josh Anderson, an interesting player from the London Knights of the OHL. With the Knights this past season, Anderson was used both on defense* and on the wing. He was a bit of a late bloomer in juniors, spending an extra season in Junior “A”. MIdget AAA, (my mistake).
Anderson is a grinder, with little offense in his game. He’s a hard worker and could have a home on a future checking line in the pros. He’s in a great program in London, receiving fantastic coaching from the Hunters.
EDIT: I’ve since done some more digging on Anderson, and I recalled that I read about him recently in The Hockey News. His draft ranking rose dramatically due to his strong playoff with London, playing right wing on their fourth line.
Though he was taken below-slot, I’m still not a huge fan of this pick. There is a need for offensive players in the organization, and there were some options available to fill that hole. A player who maxes out on the checking line in the fourth round seems to be a bit of a reach.
EDIT 2: I am still not in love with this draft choice, but I must admit, I am liking Anderson more and more as time goes on. He likely still won’t be an offensive weapon at the pro level, but his energy, work ethic and willingness to stick up for his teammates by dropping the mitts make him a candidate for a fourth line job in the NHL.
*The source of this statement is from a comment by TSN’s Bob MacKenzie during the draft broadcast. I am working to get a link to substantiate this.